Government apologises for ‘plagiarised’ portions of Akufo-Addo’s speech

The press secretary to President Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo-Addo has apologised to all Ghanaians for the plagiarised portions of the inaugural speech of President Nana Akufo-Addo delivered today (Saturday January 7) at the investiture ceremony.

News about the plagiarised portions of the speech went viral on social media soon after the president had finished delivering his address. However, Mr Eugene Arhin, in a statement released Saturday evening, indicated that the lack of attribution was a complete oversight.

He said: “My attention has been drawn to references being made to a statement in the speech delivered by the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at his swearing in on Saturday, January 7, 2017, which was not duly acknowledged.

“I unreservedly apologise for the non-acknowledgement of this quote to the original author. It was a complete oversight, and never deliberate. It is insightful to note that in the same speech were quotes from J.B. Danquah, Dr K.A. Busia, Dr Kwame Nkrumah and the Bible, which were all duly attributed and acknowledged.”